RestorationAD Posted October 29, 2010 Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 gretsch pickups do sound pretty good, especially the TV jones variety. the look would certainly be close - especially a supertron in the bridge i dunno though, i dont think the look or sounds would be quite right for this. Most filtertrons and the variants used 42 or 43 gauge depending on how hot they were wired. They are pretty standard fare (i have very detailed construction notes if you are interested) with ceramic, alnico 4, or 5 magnets. Not the right application here IMHO. Maybe if we took one and jacked it up with a SmCo or A8 mag and rewired it with 44 or 45 to be about 18K+ then we would get close. I think the vintage dimarzios are better suited this project. An hot (20K) HB with dual wound coils and 8 leads is what he is after... or just find a set of Magnums and call it a day. Wez, Did they route the HB holes bigger to accommodated the Dimarzios? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted October 29, 2010 Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 You know ... hot rodding a pair of filtertrons would get close. Thinking out loud again. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 29, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 29, 2010 Did they route the HB holes bigger to accommodated the Dimarzios? yeah, ever so slightly. i think it would still look fine with original pickups and slightly widened rings. I was speaking to one of my customers yesterday who had one restored after it had been routed for humbuckers. He had a maple plug put between neck and bridge so it could be refinished and look stock. but the routes in mine are no more than 3mm wider than stock so i wouldnt be surprised if normal john birch rings just covered it, the new rings may not need to be that much wider than stock still waiting to hear from john diggins about some hyperflux replicas. He is most likely the guy that did all the actual woodwork on this guitar. If that isnt feasable the dimarzios can stay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 starting to prep for the reglue. Since i had to remove the controls to make the fix easy i decided to completely strip all parts off to see is there were any surprises to be had. took a load of photos too - all here: http://s36.photobucket.com/albums/e31/WezV...ch%20singlecut/ but some highlights: the splits open up nicely, fit back together well and are nice clean maple inside - the best situation for a reglue. Notice the finish is really thick. its really going to highlight the location of the splits even when re-glued. making me lean towards the refinish, should be able to get the splits invisible! bridge pickup is 13.23k, neck is 7.89k - pretty much confirming they are an old Dimarzio super distortion/Paf set with rectangular feet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 if i do go for a refin i see three options... the tobacco sunburst to make it original or one of these finishes also offered by john birch: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2010 Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 I am curious.How in the heck does a guitar crack so badly?It seems as if undried wood was used or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 that can happen - but i doubt its the case here because the guitar is probably just over 30 years old (best i can pin down is late 70's)... and if it split as drying it would have happened in the first few years the inside of the splits owuld be much dirtier also, Birch made a big deal about using kiln dried rock maple in his advertising... what he didnt say was that he got his wood from the local joiners bannister stock and they happened to have a kiln for drying wood. all signs point towards massive impact and the shock followed the grain. this is why i was amazed when i strung it up and it was playable. the fact it played well with a really low buzz free action practically floored me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted October 31, 2010 Author Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 also, if it was a tension or humidity related split they rarely go back together this easy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted October 31, 2010 Report Share Posted October 31, 2010 I guess it could just be the jack location combined with the huge control cavity allowing a crack to split Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7even X² Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Just found this little nugget and thought I would pass it on.John Birch Pickup Its only around for another 2 hours. Hope you get this soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osorio Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 I guess it could just be the jack location combined with the huge control cavity allowing a crack to split I think that could be a reason too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 the large cavity definately helped the split travel further through the body - but i see no evidence of any tension/humidity related splitting. clearly a split will follow the weakest point, which is why they normally end up going down grainlines... but if that split releases internal tension in the wood they wont go back together cleanly without a little force 7even X² - thx. its been linked to twice in the thread already though I was tempted but i think it went for a bit too much, definately more than i can afford to be paying for each pickup - at that price i would rather keeep the old dimarzios in it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Maybe it cracked when the previous owner while in his VIntage Mick Ronson platform boots tripped on his vintage dallas arbiter, stumbled and fell into his vintage real to real tape loop and almost dropped his vintage John Birch guitar. Setting it on his vintage stand happy he did not drop the guitar it fell off the stand when he turned around and his vintage Sparkly cape caught one of the many superfluous vintage tweaking knobs and yanked the axe onto its cable jack, splitting it right through its overly large electronics cavity. I am just saying.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 from now on - thats exactly what happened! but you forgot to mention the vintage curly lead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sam_c Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 After some careful detective work, I have managed to track down the previous owner.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RestorationAD Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 from now on - thats exactly what happened! but you forgot to mention the vintage curly lead Aw man... And I thought I nailed it... After some careful detective work, I have managed to track down the previous owner.... Ha ha ha ha .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 i am now pondering on the curly lead thing. Is it coincidence that these guitars were most popular in the age of the curly lead... leads that are known for their treble roll off effect. Now i dont find the solid maple too bright with the current pickups, but i do worry that it could be with an (expensive) original set - maybe a curly lead would be a solution ??? also it has 250k pots with the humbuckers - so that would have a slight taming affect on the highs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prostheta Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Is this why Brian May used a Treble Booster? Nah. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 i think he just liked having leads that match his hair but curly leads can add a distinctive tonal character thats very 70's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pauliemc Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Any decisions on the finish wes ? Id go for the green, will look realy well on this I rekon. Maby a candy green burst with a heap of pagan gold metal flake in it to glam it way the fook up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 gonna strip it - that much i have decided. so i will be refinishing it and want to see how the repaired splits look before deciding on colour. I really like the tobacco or the blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 May i suggest gold glitter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 you may not! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
westhemann Posted November 1, 2010 Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 Silver glitter? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WezV Posted November 1, 2010 Author Report Share Posted November 1, 2010 slightly more john birch, but i have never seen it on his normal guitars - just the rayguns and stars. a gibson style silverburst was suggested - but i would rather stick kinda authentic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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